Boca woman who died in crash into lake ID'd; alcohol cited

Authorities have identified the driver who died in Sunday’s crash as Alejandra Valadez, 20, of Boca Raton.

She and front-seat passenger Alexis Jade Singh, 16, were brought to shore in cardiac arrest. Rescue crews began trying to resuscitate both near the lake just east of Interstate 95 and north of Southwest 10th Street. They were able to restore a pulse for Singh.

Two backseat passengers, Aaron Charlie Martinez, 20, and Alex Anthony Santos, 28, were able to escape from the submerged car. Their injuries were described as less serious.

Preliminarily, detectives say they suspect alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash, according to Broward sheriff’s spokesman Mike Jachles. The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of Valadez’s death.

Rescue crews had to use a winch and rescue tools to move the car out of the lake muck to get the occupants out, which took about 15 minutes, officials said. Firefighters broke the passenger-side window and rescued Singh, but the driver’s side was harder for crews to get into because it was the most submerged.

Original story:

A 20-year-old Boca Raton woman died early Sunday after she lost control of her car while driving at a high rate speed, hit a palm tree and drove into a lake in Deerfield Beach.

There were four passengers in the car, including a 16-year-old, who were rushed to Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach, according to Mike Jachles, a spokesman for Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.

The Boca Raton woman driving was pronounced dead at the hospital. One passenger is in critical condition and the other two have non-life threatening injuries, Jachles said.

The call came in at 11:57 p.m. after reports of an upside car submerged at the bottom of the lake in muck off Southwest Natura Boulevard in Deerfield Beach.

Two men in the back seat were able to get out of the car. Firefighters broke the passenger side window and rescued a 16-year-old girl in the front passenger seat. She was in cardiac arrest when she was brought to the shore, and fire rescue began resuscitation efforts. She regained a pulse on the way to the hospital.

The driver’s side was harder for crews to get into because it was the most submerged in the muck, Jachles said.

Firefighters had to use rescue tools to fully move the car, which took about 15 minutes. The 20-year-old was pulled out of the vehicle and also in cardiac arrest. Crews began resuscitation efforts on her as well, but she was pronounced dead at the hospital.

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